Pat Taub
My Country Cottage
Last September I purchased a tiny, 1930’s cottage in Waldoboro. It’s a fixer-upper, and since I’m not handy with tools, I’ve hired a contractor whom I met with last Monday. I’m getting excited about the renovations, esp. the addition of a screened porch. My dream is to hold all day womens’ spiritual retreats at the cottage in July and August.
A Weekend Retreat
Speaking of retreats, my Portland church, State Street United Church of Christ, is holding their annual women’s spiritual retreat this weekend in Biddeford at a beachfront convent, once a turn-of-the-century grand hotel. It’s a beautiful setting and one that inspires contemplation. I’ll be doing my part by leading a journal writing exercise on journaling for self-care. I’m looking forward to receiving an infusion of spiritual substance. We’ve been asked to bring along a sacred object for the weekend’s altar. I’ve chosen these Buddha prayer hands, a gift from my daughter-in-law.
Feeling the War Scare
As the Orange Monster ups his war talk and allows for scary tactics like declaring this week that nuclear weapons can be used against a non-nuclear assault, doomsday dreams haunt me. To make matters worse, the Doomsday Clock has moved closer to midnight. Heaven helps us!
Netflix Escape
Being a big Lily Tomlin fan, this past weekend I watched the latest episodes of “Grace and Frankie,” starring Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. I also caught the new version of “Queer Eye,” where five gay guys pick a man for a makeover. While they execute the predictable transformations in hair, wardrobe and home décor, I found the series most compelling (and surprising) in the emotional support they provide in addressing their client’s resistance to change.
The cast of “Queer Eye”
The Importance of Laughter and Joy
I am always endeavoring to find laughter and joy to offset troubled times. Sometimes a simple joyful image is all it takes to shift my mood. I love this photo from the #womensart twitter page. It’s credited to Finnish photographer Sirkka-Liisa Konttinen, taken on an English beach in June 1989.
